Where’s the beef? A Florida convention center cook is accused of helping a co-worker walk away with steak that costs a total of over $2,000.
According to Local 10 News, Broward County deputies arrested 26-year-old Rahul Pandey after reviewing surveillance footage from the Broward County Convention Center in Fort Lauderdale.
The Aug. 2 footage allegedly showed Pandey and a co-worker leaving the building with two white bags. Investigators said the bags contained New York strip steaks and beef tenderloins valued at $2,083.
Both men reportedly worked for an outside company managing the convention center. A chef discovered that the beef was missing after comparing a recent inventory with another count performed several days later.
The Surveillance video reportedly captured the steaks leaving
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The official Local 10 News Instagram post shared the details of the unusual arrest. A Broward Sheriff’s Office arrest report identified the second employee as Deanza Hodge and referred to him as a co-defendant. Deputies said the surveillance footage showed Pandey and Hodge walking out of the convention center before loading the bags into Hodge’s vehicle.
During an interview with investigators, Pandey reportedly admitted that he knew one of the bags contained his employer’s food. However, he claimed that he did not know what type of food was inside.
The report states that Pandey also acknowledged knowing that removing the bag for Hodge was wrong. Deputies arrested him on Aug. 10, and he is now facing a grand theft charge. Hodge has not appeared in Broward County court or jail records as of Aug. 11.
The value pushed the allegation into felony territory
Under Florida law, stealing property worth at least $750 but less than $5,000 is classified as third-degree grand theft. That makes the alleged $2,083 steak theft a felony rather than a misdemeanor.
A third-degree felony can carry a sentence of up to 5 years in prison and a fine of up to $5,000 upon conviction. Those are the maximum penalties allowed under state law, not a prediction of what will happen in Pandey’s case.
The arrest report did not reveal how many steaks were inside the bags. Authorities also did not say whether the meat was recovered or explain what the employees allegedly planned to do with more than $2,000 worth of beef.